New  Series 


JULY,  1917 


Number  39 


University  of  Alabama 


SPECIAL 
BULLETIN 


jS> 


^ 


STUDENT  GOVERNMENT 
CONSTITUTION 


PUBLISHED  QUARTERLY  BY  THE  UNIVERSITY 

UNIVERSITY.  ALABAMA 


Entered  as  Second  class  Matter  at  the  Postoffice  at  University,  Ala. 


STUDENT  GOVERNMENT 
CONSTITUTION 


University  of  Alabama 


PRINTED  FOR  THE  UNIVERSITY 
UNIVERSITY,  ALABAMA 


STUDENT  GOVERNMENT  CONSTITUTION 


Adopted  in  1914  and  Subsequently  Amended 


PREAMBLE 


We,  the  students  of  the  University  of  Alabama,  recognize 
that  the  supreme  purpose  of  this  institution  is  to  train  young 
men  and  women  in  the  higher  principles  of  citizenship.  There- 
fore, declaring  ourselves  steadfast  believers  in  one  another,  we 
assert  that  we  are  justified  in  assuming  the  privileges  and  re- 
sponsibilities of  citizenship  in  our  college  community. 

We  hold  it  self-evident  that  any  past  inefficiency  in  various 
student  activities  may  be  attributed  mainly  to  our  lack  of  com- 
mon organizaton  for  the  realizaton  of  a  common  purpose. 
Therefore,  we  are  resolved  to  provide  for  the  problems  of  the 
future  by  molding  ourselves  into  a  unit  of  student  government. 

With  a  full  appreciation  of  our  community  of  interests, 
hopes  and  aims  which  can  be  realized  only  through  harmonious 
co-operation  and  unselfish  community  of  action  we,  the  students 
of  the  University  of  Alabama,  do  hereby  declare  the  following 
principles  of  our  government: 

We  propose  to  be  governed  by  the  constitution  and  laws  of 
the  federal  government  and  the  laws  of  the  State  of  Alabama 
as  to  the  rights  of  our  student  citizenship;  to  recognize  the 
authority  of  the  University  administration  superior  to  our  own. 

We  propose  always  to  maintain  high  mental,  moral  and 
physical  standards  as  the  basic  principles  and  essential  elements 
of  a  well-governed  student  body,  and  eventually  to  subordinate 
all  the  various  student  activities  to  the  control  of  this  govern- 
ment. 

Believing  that  our  government  will  always  recognize  those 
rights  inalienable  to  the  personal  liberty  of  the  students  and  op- 
posed to  petty  discipline ;  believing  that  it  will  never  become 
officious  by  attempting  injudicious  control  nor  by  undertaking 


legislation  offensive  to  the  student  body ;  holding  that  the  power 
of  this  government  rests  mainly  on  the  creation  and  mainten- 
ance of  a  well-balanced  student  sentiment  based  on  a  profound 
respect  for  the  welfare  and  decorum  of  this  university,  which 
should  always  condemn  the  spirit  of  lawlessness  and  encour- 
age the  noblest  ideals  of  citizenship ;  trusting  that  we  will  merit 
and  receive  the  confidence  and  support  of  the  faculty  and  the 
public,  we  do  hereby  ordain  and  establish  the  following  con- 
stitution and  government  of  the  students  of  the  University  of 
Alabama. 

ARTICLE  I 

GENERAL  ORGANIZATION 

Section  1.  The  name  of  this  organization  shall  be  the 
Student  Association  of  the  University  of  Alabama. 

Section  2.  The  membership  of  this  organization  shall 
consist  of  all  the  students  in  all  departments  of  the  University 
of  Alabama,  located  at  Tuscaloosa,  Alabama. 

Section  3.  The  officers  of  the  Student  Association  shall 
be  a  president,  a  vice-president,  and  a  secretary-treasurer. 

Section  4.  There  shall  be  a  men's  committee  elected  by 
men  only ;  a  women's  committee  elected  by  women  only ;  a  gen- 
eral committee,  which  shall  be  composed  of  the  entire  men's 
committee  and  such  a  proportion  of  women  from  the  women's 
committee  as  the  women  bear  to  the  entire  student  body.  In 
computing  this  ratio,  fractions  of  one-half  or  more  shall  be 
counted  as  a  whole ;  below  one-half  they  shall  not  be  counted. 

ARTICLE  II 

DUTIES  OF  OFFICERS 

Section  1.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  president  to  preside 
over  all  meetings  of  the  student  association  and  over  the  meet- 
ings of  the  executive  committee.  He  or  she,  with  the  executive 
committee,  shall  enforce  the  constitution  and  laws  of  the  as- 
sociation. He  or  she  shall  also  preside  over  the  freshman  class 
at  the  beginning  of  each  year  until  it  has  been  organized, 

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Section  2.  The  vice-president  shall  act  in  the  president's 
place  in  the  latter's  absence,  or  in  case  the  president  is  dis- 
qualified. 

Section  3.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  secretary-treas- 
urer to  keeps  records  of  all  meetings  of  the  student  associa- 
tion and  of  the  executive  committee ;  to  receive  all  funds 
which  may  come  into  his  or  her  possession  as  treasurer  and 
to  disburse  the  same  at  the  direction  of  the  executive  com- 
mittee. 

ARTICLE  III 

COMMITTEES 

Section  1.  Men's  Council — The  men's  committee  shall 
consist  of  the  following  male  students:  (a)  From  the  aca- 
demic and  engineering  departments :  one  graduate,  four  seniors, 
two  juniors,  two  sophomores,  and  one  freshman  who  shall, 
however,  serve  only  from  February  1st  to  the  end  of  the  school 
session,  (b)  From  the  law  department:  three  seniors  and  two 
juniors.  This  committee  shall  have  jurisdiction  over  all  affairs 
which  pertain  peculiarly  to  the  men  students. 

Section  2.  Women's  Council — This  council  shall  be  orga- 
nized by  the  women  students  of  the  University  and  shall  have 
exclusive  jurisdiction  over  all  matters  pertaining  peculiarly  to 
the  women's  department.  The  council  shall  consist  of  five 
members,  elected  from  and  by  the  women  students  as  a  whole. 

Section  3.  General  Executive  Committee — This  commit- 
tee shall  be  composed  of  the  entire  men's  committee  and  of  such 
a  proportion  of  the  women's  committee  as  is  provided  for  in 
section  IV  of  article  I. 

(a)  The  president  of  the  student  association  shall  be  ex- 
officio  a  member  of  this  committee  and  shall  preside  over  its 
meetings,  but  he  shall  have  no  vote  except  in  case  of  a  tie. 

(b)  The  secretary-treasurer  shall  act  on  this  executive 
committee  and  shall  keep  an  accurate  record  of  all  the  proceed- 
ings, but  he  shall  not  vote. 

(c)  Two-thirds  of  the  executive  committee  shall  constitute 

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a  quorum,  which  shall  act  by  majority  vote  unless  otherwise 
provided  for  in  this  constitution. 

(d)  The  executive  committee  shall  meet  at  least  once  a 
month,  the  definite  time  to  be  fixed  at  the  discretion  of  said 
committee.  Special  meetings  may  be  called  by  the  president. 
Such  meetings  must  be  called  upon  request  of  one-half  the 
membership  of  the  committee  or  by  petition  signed  by  ten 
per  cent,  of  the  student  body. 

(e)  The  executive  committee  shall  represent  the  student 
body,  both  in  a  ministerial  and  legislative  capacity,  in  all  mat- 
ters in  which  the  student  association  may  be  concerned,  whether 
arising  before  the  faculty,  public,  or  otherwise. 

(f)  All  legislation  recommended  by  the  executive  commit- 
tee must  be  referred  to  the  student  body  for  its  vote  before  such 
legislation  becomes  a  law  of  this  government. 

(g)  The  executive  committee  shall  have  the  power  of  rais- 
ing the  funds  necessary  for  the  maintenance  of  this  government 
by  levying  assessments  on  the  students. 

(h)  The  executive  committee  shall  be  the  official  body 
to  interpret  and  construe  the  constitution  and  laws  of  this  gov- 
ernment, and  it  shall  carefully  expound  the  same  to  the  students 
assembled  in  meeting  at  the  beginning  of  each  collegiate  year. 

(i)  No  member  of  the  executive  committee  who  is  per- 
sonally interested  in  the  outcome  of  any  matter  before  the  com- 
mittee shall  be  competent  to  take  part  in  such  deliberations. 

ARTICLE  IV 

HONOR  COMMITTEE 

Section  1.  The  executive  committee  shall  select  a  sub- 
committee of  seven  from  its  own  number  to  be  known  as  the 
Honor  Committee.  When  any  member  of  this  committee  is 
personally  interested  in  a  case  within  the  committee's  jurisdic- 
tion, he  or  she  shall  not  serve  in  that  particular  case,  and  his  or 
her  place  shall  be  filled  at  the  discretion  of  the  executive  com- 
mittee. 

Section  2.     The  duties  of  the  honor  committee  shall  be: 

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(a)  To  investigate  such  breaches  of  honor  among  the 
students  as  cheating  in  examinations,  etc.,  and  to  deal  with  them 
in  accordance  with  the  established  traditions  and  usages  of  the 
University. 

(b)  To  perform  such  other  work  as  may  be  delegated  to 
it  by  the  executive  committee. 

Section  3.  The  honor  committee  shall  have  power  to  sus- 
pend any  student  guilty  of  a  breach  of  honor,  provided  that  at 
least  five  members  of  the  committee  vote  such  action ;  and  pro- 
vided further  that  any  student  has  a  direct  appeal  from  the  de- 
cision of  the  honor  committee  to  the  executive  committee  and 
finally  to  the  student  body. 

ARTICLE  V 

MEETINGS  OF  THE  ASSOCIATION 

Section  1.  Regular  meetings  of  the  student  association 
shall  be  arranged  by  the  executive  committee.  Special  meet- 
ings may  be  called  by  the  president  of  the  association.  Such 
meetings  must  be  called  upon  request  of  a  majority  of  the  exe- 
cutive committee  or  upon  petition  signed  by  ten  per  cent  of  the 
student  body.  Two-thirds  of  the  members  of  the  student  body 
shall  constitute  a  quorum. 

Section  2.  The  student  body  is  supreme  authority  in  this 
government  and  has  full  jurisdiction  over  all  legislation,  whether 
submitted  by  the  executive  committee  or  by  petition  of  the 
students.  In  the  latter  case  the  petition  must  have  first  been 
submitted  to  the  executive  committee  with  the  signatures  of  ten 
per  cent,  of  the  student  body  affixed  thereto.  If  the  executive 
committee  declines  action  on  said  petition,  it  may  then  be  sub- 
mitted direct  to  the  students  in  mass  meeting  assembled. 

Section  3.  The  student  body  has  the  power  to  recall  any 
or  all  of  its  officers  and  committees.  A  vote  of  sixty  per  cent, 
of  those  present  and  voting  shall  be  necessary  to  recall  any 
officer  or  member  of  a  committee. 

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ARTICLE  VI. 

ELECTION   OF  OFFICERS 

Section  1.  Qualifications:  To  be  eligible  to  the  office  of 
president,  vice-president  or  secretary-treasurer  of  the  student 
association,  the  candidate,  if  a  student  of  the  academic  or 
engineering  departments,  must  have  had  two  collegiate  years' 
residence  at  the  University  of  Alabama;  a  student  of  the  law 
department,  unless  previously  a  member  of  the  academic  or 
engineering  departments  for  two  years,  must  be  a  member  of 
the  senior  class  and  must  have  been  in  attendance  at  the  Uni- 
versity of  Alabama  one  collegiate  year;  provided,  however, 
that  when  the  three  year  course  is  adopted,  a  member  of  the  law 
school  must  have  been  here  two  years  before  he  is  eligible  to 
the  above  named  offices. 

Section  2.  No  student  may  announce  his  or  her  own 
candidacy,  nor  circulate  his  or  her  own  petition  for  an  office. 
Before  he  or  she  becomes  qualified  as  a  candidate,  his  or  her 
name  must  have  been  handed  to  the  secretary-treasurer  of  the 
student  body  at  least  two  weeks  before  the  date  of  election 
accompanied  by  the  written  consent  of  the  prospective  candi- 
date and  by  the  signatures  of  at  least  eight  per  cent,  of  the 
student  body.  No  person  shall  sign  the  petition  of  more  than 
one  candidate  for  the  same  office,  and  no  petition  may  be  cir- 
culated before  March  20  preceding  the  date  of  election. 
This  signature  shall  be  indicative,  but  is  not  necessarily  a 
pledge,  as  to  the  casting  of  the  final  vote  in  actual  election. 
The  secretary  shall  publicly  post  and  publish  the  names  of  all 
bona  fide  candidates  for  at  least  ten  days  previous  to  the 
election. 

Section  3.  Regular  election  of  officers  shall  be  held  on 
the  last  Friday  in  April  each  year;  and  officers  elected  at 
such  election  shall  hold  office  for  one  year  from  the  date  of 
said  election.  All  elections  of  officers  shall  be  on  the  above 
date — except  in  such  cases  as  provided  for  hereinafter.  The 
installation  of  the  officers  shall  be  on  the  first  meeting  of  the 
student  association  after  the  election. 

8 


Section  4.  A  candidate  must  receive  a  majority  of  the 
votes  cast  to  be  elected.  In  case  no  candidate  receives  such 
majority,  the  two  candidates  receiving  the  highest  number  of 
votes  shall  be  voted  on  in  a  second  election,  and  the  one  of  these 
two  who  receives  a  majority  of  the  votes  cast  shall  be  declared 
elected. 

Section  5.  Election  shall  be  by  the  Australian  ballot 
system ;  and  the  votes  shall  be  counted  by  the  executive  com- 
mittee which  is  hereby  authorized  to  conduct  and  supervise  all 
elections  of  officers  of  the  student  body. 

Section  6.  In  case  the  election  of  officers  cannot  be  held 
on  the  last  Friday  in  April,  the  executive  committee  shall  set 
a  day  as  soon  thereafter  as  it  may  see  fit ;  provided,  however, 
that  this  must  not  be  construed  to  allow  postponement  of 
election  longer  than  ten  days.  And  provided,  further,  that  the 
executive  committee  shall  be  empowered  to  call  a  special  elec- 
tion in  case  a  vacancy  in  office  occurs,  or  in  case  such  election 
be  necessary  to  secure  a  majority  vote  for  candidates  pre- 
viously receiving  only  a  plurality  vote. 

ARTICLE  VII. 

ELECTION    OF    EXECUTIVE    COMMITTEE 

Section  1.  Each  class  shall  elect  its  own  representatives 
on  the  executive  committee. 

Section  2.  The  election  of  the  executive  committee  shall 
be  held  within  the  third  week  after  the  opening  of  college  year. 

ARTICLE  VIII. 

AMENDMENTS 

Section  1.  (a)  An  amendment  to  this  constitution  may 
be  proposed  by  a  vote  of  two-thirds  of  the  executive  committee, 
or  by  a  petition  signed  by  twenty  (20)  per  cent,  of  the  bona  fide 
students  of  the  University.  After  being  published  in  the 
college  publications  and  otherwise  made  public  for  two  weeks 
the  proposed  amendment  must  be  referred  to  the  student  body 
by  the  executive  committee  for  ratification  or  rejection. 

9 


(b)  When  an  amendment  receives  a  two-thirds  vote 
cast  by  the  students  it  shall  become  a  part  of  the  constitution ; 
provided,  however,  that  no  action  is  valid  except  when  par- 
ticipated in  by  at  least  two-thirds  of  the  members  of  the  student 
body. 


Rules  and  Regulations  Governing  Freshmen. 

ARTICLE  I. 

Section  1.  All  first  year  men  excepting  (1)  those  who 
have  at  least  eight  hours  of  college  credit  and  (2)  those  who 
are  at  least  twenty- four  years  old  and  (3)  those  who  are  mar- 
ried, entering  any  department  of  the  University  of  Alabama 
other  than  the  law  or  medical  department  shall  be  subject  to  the 
following  rules  and  regulations  : 

Section  2.  They  must  wear  uniform  class  caps.  These 
caps  shall  be  of  green  color  with  a  one-inch  yellow  letter  "F" 
above  the  brim.  The  style  and  shape  of  such  caps  shall  be  regu- 
lated annually  by  the  executive  committee. 

Section  3.  These  caps  must  be  worn  exclusively  by  the 
students  above  mentioned  during  their  residence  in  Tuscaloosa 
or  at  the  University — that  is,  from  the  Monday  following  the 
opening  of  the  University  to  the  second  night  preceding  final 
examinations  of  the  college  session;  provided  that  nothing  in 
this  section  shall  be  construed  to  extend  this  regulation  to  mem- 
bers of  athletic,  dramatic  or  glee  clubs  while  absent  from  the 
University  as  members  of  such  clubs. 

Section  4.  Those  Freshmen  taking  the  Military  Train- 
ing Course  will  be  exempted  from  wearing  said  green  cap 
while  in  full  uniform.  However,  those  who  take  the  course 
must  wear  a  class  badge.  This  badge  is  to  be  selected  at  the 
beginning  of  each  school  year  by  the  executive  committee  in 
conjunction  with  the  military  officer  in  charge  at  the  University. 

10 


ARTICLE  II 

ENFORCEMENT 

Section  1.  Any  student  violating  any  of  the  foregoing 
rules  shall  be  subject  to  the  following  penalties : 

(a)  For  the  first  offense  he  shall  be  fined  One  Dollar; 

(b)  For  the  second  offense  he  shall  be  fined  Two  Dollars 
and  a  Half ; 

(c)  For  the  third  offense  he  shall  be  fined  Five  Dollars; 

(d)  For  further  infraction  of  the  rules  such  student 
shall  be  advised  by  the  executive  committee  that  he  is  out  of 
harmony  with  the  spirit  of  the  student  government  at  the  Uni- 
versity and  asked  to  withdraw. 

Section  2.  Any  Freshman  will  be  given  two  days  in  which 
to  pay  the  first  and  each  succeeding  fine.  It  is  further  provided 
that  failure  to  pay  the  first  fine  within  the  allotted  time  will 
render  the  offender  guilty  of  a  second  offense,  etc. 

Section  3.  All  money  or  monies  received  under  these 
provisions  shall  be  turned  into  the  treasury  of  the  Alumni 
Loan  Fund. 

Section  4.  All  matters  regarding  the  infraction  of  these 
rules  shall  be  acted  upon  by  the  men's  committee  of  the  execu- 
tive committee. 

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